Gov. Espino highlights gains at Asia CEO Forum

during the Asia CEO Forum held on July 5 at Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City.

“There is more in Pangasinan than you already know,” Governor Espino, the event’s main presenter, told local and foreign business executives and investors present during the forum.

The provincial chief executive pointed out that all gains of the provincial administration are geared towards sustaining the vision for the province as the “Best place to invest, work, live and raise a family,” and subsequently to attain the mission, “To make Pangasinan number one.”

Providing visitors and tourists “comfortable travel experience” to natural and man-made tourism assets of the province, Gov. Espino noted that at present, 99.9 percent of provincial roads are concreted and asphalted, which also allow fast and easy transport of goods and services.

Owing to the aggressive tourism promotions of the provincial government, Governor Espino said that Pangasinan’s tourism industry steadily grows in the last five years with an annual growth rate of 43 percent of day-tourists, and 19 percent of tourist arrivals based on accommodation facilities. In 2016 alone, tourist arrivals based on accommodation establishments posted 781,951 while day tourists registered 8 million.

Potentials for business ventures and investment opportunities were also associated with the status of Pangasinan in agricultural production.

Pangasinan is now a major producer of agricultural products in the country. Governor Espino stressed that Pangasinan is the top producing province of milkfish or bangus (179,353 metric tons/year), mango (117,00 metric tons/year), and eggplant (45,642 metric tons/year).

Ranked third in the country, rice production in Pangasinan posted 1.2 million metric tons/year while in corn production, the province ranks sixth with 345,203 metric tons/year.

Pangasinan’s labor force of 1.8 million out of 3.01 million projected population this year is made more competent and skilled by 61 colleges and universities, and 122 technical-vocational schools based in the province.

Going the extra mile in expanding the employment services arm of the provincial government, the Provincial Employment Services Office (PESO) – a Hall of Famer First Class Provincial PESO in the country – consistently opens doors for employment of Pangasinenses by conducting job fairs, employability trainings, and livelihood seminars. Welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers and their families is also given priority by PESO Pangasinan.

Declared as ‘insurgency-free province’ by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Pangasinan is one of the most peaceful provinces in the country. Supportive of the war against drugs led by President Rodrigo Duterte, the provincial government of Pangasinan was the first local government unit in the country to conduct a mandatory-random drug testing for its 4,000-strong government workforce.

“More than ever, we continue to strive to instill in the hearts of Pangasinenses, ‘Love for Pangasinan’ through the ‘I Love Pangasinan’ Movement,” Governor Espino said.

The fervor of love for the province, Governor Espino added, inspires Pangasinenses to join programs and advocacies which are aligned with the development thrusts of the provincial administration. /Mark Gerry Naval Oblanca